When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
John 21:15 NIV
God desires that once a man commits to following Him, he should not look back. After deciding to follow the Lord and live according to His ways, God expects us to continue steadfastly in that lifestyle. Continuity in our journey with God is of utmost importance to Him. It is not just about believing and starting the faith; it is about continuing in the faith and completing it.
Our text today shows that Jesus exemplified this desire by returning to the disciples after His crucifixion. Despite dying, being buried, and rising again, Jesus saw something wrong with the disciples’ faith, particularly with Peter. God intended that even after Jesus left, the disciples would stand tall and proclaim the gospel. However, their faith had waned, leading them to return to their familiar ways. Because Jesus was no longer present, Peter suggested, “Let’s return to what we know best,” and they went back to fishing. Jesus met them there, providing for their immediate need, and then asked the hard questions. Specifically, He asked Peter, whom He designated as the overseer of the church, “Do you love me more than these?”
Jesus asked the question three times, not because He doubted Peter’s response, but to drive home a crucial point. The Lord wanted Peter to realise that there was much more than he saw around him. Perhaps it could be that Jesus wanted to be sure of Peter’s love for Him. “Do you love me more than these?” could refer to anything—comfort, possessions, money, relationships, or anything else. The key question is, as you are continuing your faith journey, do you love God more than these things?
“These” could also refer to people around you—do you love God more than others do? Will your love for God go the extra mile beyond what others are willing to do? Are you prepared to leave behind your life to ensure that God’s will is established? The way the question comes to each of us today is different. For some, it might mean showing sacrificial love or going all out for the faith. For others, like me, it might mean loving God more than the things we have or hope to have. Will our relationship with God end because of the things we’ve accumulated, or will we love Him more than these?
This is a question you and I must answer today. As we are continuing in our journey, we must ask ourselves: Are we willing to let go of the things we hold on to for the love of Christ? Do we love Him more than our devices, trends, glamour, or even the supposed fruits of ministry? Loving Him more than these is a very important question each of us must answer.
